


Pestilenza

by addledwalrus



Category: Original Work
Genre: 14th Century, Amulets, Animal Abuse, Animal Death, Begging, Blood, Brothels, Campfires, Character Death, Chores, Class Differences, Cooking, Corpses, Cutting, Dead People, Death, Dehydration, Denial, Desperation, Drama, Drinking, Dubious Morality, Eating, Explicit Language, Fear, Fever, Food, Gen, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Hallucinations, Headaches & Migraines, Historical, Historical References, Horses, Idealism, Illnesses, Immorality, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Infection, Italian Character(s), Italy, Killing, Last Requests, Loneliness, Loss of Innocence, Madness, Maids, Master & Servant, Mercy Killing, Middle Ages, Musical Instruments, Near Death, Nicknames, Old Age, Optimism, Oranges, Orgasm, Pain, Plague, Prayer, Prostitution, Refugees, Religious Content, Rough Sex, Scents & Smells, Servants, Sex, Sexual Humor, Sins, Spiritual, Suffering, Survival, Talking, Theft, Tragedy, Trees, Violent Thoughts, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-07-08 01:23:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15920064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addledwalrus/pseuds/addledwalrus
Summary: The Black Death spreads through Europe and the Middle East, forever changing the lives of several individuals.





	1. Lucrezia

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is a spin-off from 'The Evil Eye', which is part of my series 'Folkloric Tales'. You can read that first if you like.

_"Mother..."_

Lucrezia had lost the ability to speak for reasons that a doctor had claimed were related to the unbearable pain she felt with each breath. The state of her body wasn't much better, for it seemed that she had been sapped of all energy and could do nothing but lie helplessly in bed.

The regular visit from her personal maid always brought temporary relief, though her fading senses meant that it was no longer easy to know who else was in the room, let alone whether they were male or female.

The door to her chamber creaked open two days after she'd become bedridden and a blurred figure drifted closer. She rolled her head over to show that she was still somewhat aware of her surroundings, even though a large rock may as well have been tied around her neck.

 _"Who are you? What are you doing?"_  She thought frantically as the figure extended one arm and brushed their fingers against her skin.

She soon felt a quick sting of pain at the back of her neck and the cause became immediately clear. There was no mistaking the figure's cruel smile even through failing vision and she wanted to scream at them to return the heirloom given by her mother.

All she could manage instead was a pitiful whimper that only made her look weak when she wanted so badly to be strong. The household was beginning to fall apart, yet here she was, disabled by the same illness that had claimed her husband.

_"I have to recover. If I don't..."_


	2. Calogero

"Calogero, what are you doing? You shouldn't go in there…" A young woman whispered urgently as she came to confront the young man whom had just been in the lady Lucrezia's chamber. The past week had been chaotic to say the least and seeing the household's groom snooping around didn't exactly put her at ease.

Calogero frowned at the kitchen maid and clutched Lucrezia's talisman tighter before hiding it behind his back.

"I'm leaving, Giuseppina. Take care of yourself and those you hold dear…"

He pushed past her and made for the stairs. She followed and tried to grab his arm, but it was too fast.

"Where are you going? We need to stay together, all of us!"

"No, we don't." Calogero stated loudly upon reaching the foot of the stairs. "Goodbye…"

He disappeared through the door and Giuseppina spent a few moments staring down aimlessly at empty space, then remembered her place in the kitchen.

She rushed off to attend to her duties while in denial about the futility of carrying on with normal life when many were dying from an unknown illness.

* * *

Calogero studied the horn shaped talisman again upon stepping into the street. It wasn't the only thing he'd stolen, for he had also taken enough coins from the coffer of his deceased master to buy food and drink at a tavern.

It seemed wise for him to have a proper meal first, so he secured the talisman around his neck and decided to sell it off later.

He took wary steps along the side of the road while expecting at any moment that someone would decry him for roaming freely in public, yet nobody stared or said a word. Everyone in this part of town was now silent and afraid, with the sight of boarded windows all around being strong evidence of that.

The sound of scraping wheels soon prompted him to make way for a cart containing several dead bodies. A group of mourners followed close behind, all of them crying loudly and pulling at their hair in grief.

They ceased to matter to Calogero as he entered the part of town that would have frightened away any pious monk, nun or priest during less worrisome times.

He recognized the tavern right away due to the sound of faint chatter and music, then entered to find that much of the town's still healthy population seemed to have taken refuge inside. The family whom owned the establishment were rather busy attending to customers and one would have been forgiven for thinking that they were somehow immune to the afflictions of the outside world.

Calogero took a seat beside an old bearded man playing a Jew's harp and refrained from praising the latter's skill while awaiting service.

"What brings you here, young man?" The old man asked upon finishing his song and having a rest.

"The same thing that brings  _everybody_ here, old fellow."

"No. I mean, why did you choose to sit next to me? Do you enjoy my music?"

"It is pleasant and you are very gifted."

"I'm glad to hear that. Why don't you thank me with some coins?"

The old man held out a bag expectantly, at which point Calogero decided it was time to find somewhere else to sit. He left his stool and trudged across the tavern toward a table where another young man sat restlessly.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

"I don't see why not..."

Calogero sat down opposite the young man and immediately sought to make small talk. He began by introducing himself and his occupation.

"Calogero, former stablehand." He said while holding out his hand as a friendly gesture.

"Lorenzo. Blacksmith's apprentice." The young man replied, grasping Calogero's hand to show acceptance.

"An apprentice? What happened to your mentor?"

"His wife and children all got sick last week, then he threw me out for being a waste of space."

"And then you came here?"

"Right you are. But not before I pissed on his tools and took this dagger meant for a client."

Lorenzo produced the weapon with pride so that Calogero could admire its sharp blade and ornate handle. He then remembered the cornicello that he'd taken from Lucrezia and removed it for show.

"I stole this from a rich lady. It's been passed down through her family for generations and they say that it was made from coral..."

Lorenzo stared for a moment before laughing.

"I'd much rather have a weapon to defend myself with, than hope that a good luck charm will protect me. Try selling it to a woman. I'm sure you'll have more success..."

Calogero sighed and turned away in dismay. The tavern owner's wife soon arrived to ask him if he wished to eat or drink, at which point he said that he wanted to do both.

* * *

He left the tavern as the sun began to set and stumbled along unsteadily whilst following additional sounds of human activity. It took him to a truly disreputable location where women often bared their skin and used all sorts of means to attract men from various stations of life.

A girl with dark braided hair and a low-cut dress that showed off modest cleavage caught his eye.

She smiled pleasantly as he approached and offered her services.

"Would you care to spend some time with me? I'll make it worth your while…"

"How much do you charge?"

"One piastra per man." The girl stated in a way that made it was clear this was business as usual for her. "But that is a pretty thing you have around your neck. I think it would make for a nice trade."

Calogero decided that this would be the best deal he'd receive. He allowed her to lead him inside the brothel and show him to a room lit up by a single candle.

He closed the door as she lay down on the bed and pulled up the hem of her dress.

"I'm ready whenever you are..."

Calogero took a deep breath to prepare himself, then strode over to remove his breeches and tunic. She continued to wait patiently until he climbed into bed also and mounted her with some effort.

She wrinkled her face a little from the pain then instructed him to start thrusting. He did so with some hesitation, though she soon gave a look of reassurance that encouraged him to penetrate deeper and harder.

She was howling in pleasure mere minutes later and clutching the sheets tightly as if her life was under threat. This filled Calogero with confusion for he felt nothing but tiredness from such an activity and had no idea what he was supposed to experience.

He pulled out and limped across the room with a pounding heart to retrieve his breeches. The girl slumped on her back to get some rest for the next client while he removed the talisman and handed it over as payment.

She smiled wearily as she took it and praised his prowess. He had a strong suspicion that she was lying, but dared not express it due to the need to remain emotionally detached.

He bade her farewell and she did the same before he left the brothel, never to return again.

* * *

A severe headache struck Calogero no less than an hour after bedding the young prostitute. He returned to the tavern to ask for accommodation and the owner agreed reluctantly upon being presented with more than the designated price.

He discovered while getting ready for bed, that dark swellings had formed on his arms and torso just like the ones found on Lucrezia before she became too sick to run the household. He dropped to his knees to plead with God to absolve him of sin and offer recovery from his affliction, but the only comfort he received afterwards was the sound of other lodgers.

Fever spread all over his body as the night wore on and the torture of feeling like he was going to burn alive made him want to scream, though all he could do instead was moan quietly and hope someone would hear.

Morning broke and still no help came. Calogero had curled up in a ball to keep warm as a result of his rapid drop in body temperature. A mixture of vomit and blood had pooled on the floor and the smell was too foul for him to bear.

"Water, please..." He whispered pitifully through cracked lips.

* * *

The tavern owner's wife went upstairs to investigate after it was noticed that one guest in particular had not shown themselves for an entire day.

She knocked firmly several times and demanded at the top of her voice that the door be opened, with little result.

Her husband arrived by her side soon afterwards and used his master key to gain access to Calogero's room.

Both immediately froze upon seeing the young man sprawled on the bed and barely clinging to life while hideous lumps seemed to have spread over his entire body.

The tavern owner became aware of a repulsive stench and he gagged in disgust before his wife let out a long, deafening scream.


	3. Giuseppina

They were the only three remaining after most had seen no reason to stay and chosen to be with their families again. Giuseppina, Cabbrieli and Antonella sat together at one corner of the table in the servant's quarters, none of them willing to accept that society as they knew it was collapsing.

"I never really liked that Calogero..." Cabbrieli grumbled through a mouthful of bread. "His cock was too big..."

"Cabbri!" Giuseppina found herself crying out in shock upon hearing the manual laborer use such obscene language regarding the former stable hand. He ignored her and continued to express his dislike for the other male anyway.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he was sodomizing those horses all along. He always seemed like that sort of person..."

"Alright, that's enough!" Antonella scolded, reaching out to slap Cabbrieli hard against the back of the head upon sensing Giuseppina's discomfort. "The Lord will strike you down if you keep talking like this!"

"Oh, Antonella. He would have done so already if he could. Besides, you don't seem to mind it when we're together in private..."

Cabbrieli gave the chamber maid a lascivious look and she rolled her eyes in response, while Giuseppina remembered a rather pressing matter.

"What...what are we going to do about the Lady?"

Antonella's expression grew grave as she turned to face the younger woman.

"I... I don't know." She muttered with a sad shake of the head. "She was a nice girl. She deserves some respect..."

Silence fell, and it wasn't until all three servants had finished their meals that Cabbrieli made an unexpectedly brave proposal.

"We...we'll take her to the catacombs tomorrow. It's the best we can do..."

* * *

It took the combined efforts of Cabbrieli and Antonella to wrap Lucrezia's body up in linen the following morning, then carry her all the way outside to be placed gently inside a produce cart.

Giuseppina watched the two of them solemnly set out from a window and prayed that they'd come back safely, before going off to prepare a simple meal using the diminishing amount of ingredients available around the kitchen.

She was overcome with relief when the couple returned in the evening, exhausted and sweaty but otherwise unscathed. They sat down together to eat the three plates of preserved fish set down on the table and Cabbrieli looked glumly at his food.

"We're running out, aren't we?"

"I'm doing the best I can..." Giuseppina replied while lowering her head in shame and despair. "...but we're going to starve sooner or later."

"Hey, don't look so sad." Cabbrieli tried to comfort her, rising from his seat as a drastic option suddenly presented itself to him. "All hope isn't lost..."

"And what do you have in mind?" Antonella asked sceptically.

Cabbrieli cleared his throat before explaining his solution.

"Those two horses might have been useful once but looking after them now is just a waste of time and energy. Either we put them out of their misery or lose a lot of perfectly good meat..."

Antonella rashly opened her mouth to protest, but Giuseppina saw the sense in such a plan.

"Do what you feel is necessary." She spoke up, giving Cabbrieli her approval. "I... I'll help with the cutting if you want..."

* * *

She accompanied Cabbrieli outside to the stables two days later and tried her best to remain emotionally detached when she saw the way both horses could barely stand from a lack of nourishment.

Cabbrieli forcibly dragged one of them out into the open while beckoning for her to come forward. She complied and clubbed the horse on the head, rendering the animal unconscious so that he could easily slash its throat.

Blood sprayed all over him and Giuseppina's immediate reaction was to scream. He was unfazed however and simply took a step back to allow the creature to fall before thrusting his bucket forward to catch the gushing red stream.

"Well, I'm going to have to take a long bath after this..." Cabbrieli remarked casually once the heavy bleeding ceased and it seemed like the horse's life had seeped away. "Let's move on to the other one..."

Giuseppina steeled herself as he went back into the stable and led the second horse outside. She forced herself to ignore the distressed whinny it gave upon seeing it's fallen friend as she did her part again.

Both horses lay motionless on the ground no less than an hour later and she went to summon Antonella so that they could spend the remainder of the day separating flesh from bone.

They eventually had enough meat that even after being cured in salt, would evidently be enough to last them around two months.

* * *

While Giuseppina, Antonella and Cabbrieli lived out most of their days in relative peace, boarded up in the safety of the house they used to serve, the number of dead continued to rise outside.

Each day would come with the sight of more and more bodies being transported by cart to be buried in uncertain locations outside of town until the grave diggers themselves seemed to have succumbed to illness.

Giuseppina remained hopeful regardless and told herself that if the three of them continued to be cautious, they would survive long enough for God to forgive the sins of humanity and put an end to the plague.

 _"We'll make it through this. Like a family..."_ She thought while remembering her violent father and knowing that she felt a far stronger affection for the people whom she used to toil alongside.

* * *

It was clear now that Antonella and Cabbrieli hadn't shared the same belief that staying where they were would provide a higher chance of survival. The two of them had packed their belongings and set out for an unknown destination the moment their supply of horse meat began to run low.

They had left without so much as a farewell despite her desperate pleas and all she could do now was languish the hours away while yearning for company again.

She ventured into the garden to hunt for snails in a last-ditch effort to sate herself sometime after having completely lost track of the days because of nobody else being around to guide her.

She gathered up the slippery creatures in a bucket before spending the afternoon methodically removing their shells and cleaning them, even though the task made her fingers terribly numb.

Roasting the snails over an open fire produced an appetizing aroma and it was with tears in her eyes that she eventually started chewing on their tough but juicy flesh.

Whether the tears came from the pain of loneliness or gratitude that she was still alive, Giuseppina didn't know. She allowed herself to savor three more snails before remembering to leave the rest for another day.

* * *

A loud knocking outside put Giuseppina on edge as she took her time sweeping the floor, no longer under any pressure to finish the task quickly. She came to a stop and placed the broom aside before cautiously making her way to the main doors to investigate.

The noise increased in volume and was quickly accompanied by a familiar voice.

"Giuseppina! It's me, Cabbri! Are you still in there?!"

_"Cabbri?"_

"Let me in! I don't want to die out here!"

Her spirits rose. It was him beyond a doubt.

"Cabbri, I'm coming! Please be patient!"

She unlatched the doors without hesitation to welcome him inside, only to freeze when all that met her was cold air and empty silence.


	4. Lorenzo

"Do you think we'll find other people tomorrow?"

"I don't see why we won't. There has to be some farmland around here..."

Lorenzo raised his head to look at the tavern-keeper couple while the fire continued to crackle and warm everyone present. He'd learned that their names were Ignazio and Costanza, the knowledge of which allowed him to sympathize with them now that they were travelling together.

Business had been terrible for the husband and wife as a result of a guest succumbing to the plague on their premises. The event was still shocking to Lorenzo despite a fortnight having passed, for he had been one of the last people to speak to Calogero when the young man was still alive and well.

_"You were good company that night. Wherever you are now, I hope you're at peace..."_

A rustling nearby prompted Lorenzo to glance again at Alessia, the young woman whom had so far been reluctant to talk about her past circumstances. He had a strong suspicion that she must have been a prostitute and the plain, low-cut dress she wore seemed to be strong evidence of it.

She glared at him defensively and he quickly tried to assuage her fears.

"Hey, don't give me that look. You're not my kind of girl anyway..."

Her expression only grew more intense.

"You say that now, but you're going to want a woman's touch sooner or later. You'll be a threat to me then."

Lorenzo decided not to say anymore out of fear of arousing her anger. He turned to look at the fifth person in their party, an old man called Nunzio whom hadn't been without his Jew's harp since they'd left Messina.

Nunzio placed the instrument to his lips and just like back in the tavern, the loud and jaunty twanging helped distract them from their troubles for a while.

* * *

A day without anything to drink was taking it's toll on Lorenzo. He found himself feeling dizzy and unwilling to continue walking, while Nunzio and Alessia struggled to keep up.

An earlier argument between Ignazio and Costanza had left them both in angry silence. The tension frustrated him and he began to grasp his dagger tightly.

He entertained himself with the notion of killing the married couple and getting away with it, before some words from Nunzio served to ground him in reality again.

"Carusu..." The old man said almost pleadingly, nudging Lorenzo in the back and using the nickname that he found rather belittling. "Slow down for us please..."

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that..." Lorenzo replied in exasperation. "Do I look like a young boy to you?"

"Yes, you do." Nunzio answered without any hesitation.

"You're a senile old man."

"That I am..."

They did not speak with each other again until Ignazio spotted an orange grove in the distance. The subsequent excitement was enough to motivate them to quicken their pace, so that they could finally get relief.

Two oranges were picked and shared among them. The flesh of the fruit was almost unbearably bitter, but the juice was enough to quench their thirst.

It was only after they all smiled numbly at each other that Costanza said something that gave them all hope.

"These trees couldn't have grown this way on their own. There must be others living nearby."

* * *

Their hopes diminished a little when they traveled a further to find that the surrounding crops were quite clearly overgrown and neglected, signalling that whomever had planted them was no longer around to manage things.

It was the stench of decaying flesh when they reached the abandoned house that truly confirmed suspicions. The source of the putrid smell came from an unfinished grave behind the house that contained the bodies of a woman and two young children.

"God have mercy..." Ignazio whispered in horror while crossing himself.

Alessia whimpered at the sight and reached out to grasp Lorenzo's wrist in an attempt to find comfort. He felt her fingers gripping his skin and wasn't sure what to make of it after she'd previously been so wary of his presence.

"I don't want to end up like that..." She muttered quietly.

"You won't. You're with us..." He tried to reassure, though his words did not seem to have much effect. She lowered her head in grief as tears began to roll down her face.

"It's no use..."

"What do you mean?"

She let go of him and stepped back to distance herself from the group. Her sobs were heard by the other three and they turned around to face her in confusion.

"What's going on with her?" Nunzio spoke up in concern.

"I-I'm sorry!" Alessia suddenly screamed, causing them all to shudder.

She extended one arm and pulled up her sleeve to reveal a few dark buboes festering on her skin, before falling to her knees.

"This...this is my punishment for being a whore..." She explained shakily while averting her eyes from Lorenzo and the others' horrified faces. "If you have any mercy at all, take my life now so I don't have to suffer..."

The hopelessness in her voice was enough for Lorenzo to consider fulfilling her wish and he reached for his dagger, before having second thoughts. Killing another person, even out of mercy, was a heinous sin that could bring damnation to one's soul.

Lorenzo had already committed the crime of stealing from his former mentor and the thought of what lay in Hell terrified him. He wasn't ready to take such a risk and instead let his hand drop back down to his side.

"You...you know I can't..." He replied, glancing back at the rest of the group for solace.

"He's right. To do so would only make him a murderer..." Nunzio voiced in agreement despite such words being the last thing Alessia wished to hear at this time.

The old man then turned to grab Lorenzo by the arm and make eye contact.

"Leave her be, Carusu. There's still hope for  _us."_

"Yes, sir..." Lorenzo agreed despite the feeling of guilt growing rapidly in his heart. He looked toward Alessia one last time in pity, only to find that there was now nothing but emptiness in her eyes. "I'm sorry..."

"Remember me, please..." She simply murmured before burying her face in her hands and beginning to tremble all over.


End file.
